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Wall Street Pauses as Fed Meeting Looms: Futures Hold Steady

U.S. stock futures were little changed on Tuesday as investors awaited the start of the Federal Reserve’s final policy meeting of the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures all hovered near flat, reflecting a cautious mood across Wall Street. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, but traders are focused on Chair Jerome Powell’s comments and the central bank’s updated economic projections. Markets are looking for clues on when rate cuts might begin in 2024, with inflation cooling but still above the Fed’s long-term target. Recent gains in equities have been fueled by optimism that the Fed’s tightening cycle is over, yet uncertainty remains about how quickly monetary policy will shift toward easing. Until then, investors appear content to hold their positions, waiting for clearer signals from the Fed before making bold moves.

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Stocks Rise as Weak Economic Data Sink US Yields

                                        

Wall Street traders sent stocks higher and bond yields fell as a string of weaker-than-estimated economic reports reinforced the case for the Federal Reserve to start cutting rates this year. In a shortened session ahead of the US holiday, the S&P 500 headed toward a fresh all-time high.

In summary:

  • The S&P 500 rose to around 5,520.
  • Tesla Inc. extended its rally into a seventh straight session.
  • Amazon.com Inc. fell.
  • Treasury 10-year yields fell seven basis points to 4.36%.
  • Swap traders project almost two rate cuts in 2024, with the first in November.
  • The dollar headed toward its biggest drop since mid-May.

Investors are closely watching Friday’s employment data for further insight into the state of the labor market. Economists anticipate a 190,000 gain in nonfarm payrolls, with the unemployment rate holding at 4%.


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